COI C181
It is the second day of the convention. Adventurers were given the opportunity to check the convention. Yesterday as they saw the Jigeram at full view at the distance above the ruins, still not reaching to the southern region as it already at the north. The solid crystallization fell into the next stage of the dust. Where they see the Dexter Guild in power armor had no effect on it as it cleans off the grime or any biological stains on them. Protected by steel and other non-biological materials. Clean as it meant to use against the Jigeram.
They heard news about the production of armors coming from Taiyou Inudstries, as they nearly ready to set up the protection they needed without using magic, all made out runes. Finally, the incident of the plant is dying as they secluded it around the ruins. Starving itself to wither and die, however, the rituals it had returned back to the glass dome. The nonsense it brings as they never forget how the duck was able to free it. Other spirits were mysteriously disappeared since the news about the goblin festival in the island. All things considered that the city will be ready for the future.
Silfa and the rest of the adventurers are all gathered around and meet certain former adventurers. Siren, Andui and her friends, and including the disbanded small guilds. Gordon comes along as they formed a surprised reunion to the high ranks and the former low ranks.
“Melody guild, Anime Xpo guild, and many more. I see you made new jobs for this convention. I can’t believe you guys are able to get yourselves together to make such a lovely event”
Siren cuts him off “There’s nothing else we can do. We need to work in order to feed ourselves”
“Yeah!”
The high ranks never thought they still hold a grudge against him after all he had put them through. Because of the huge incident when going to Enders Bridge, they silence the investigation that what happened to them delivering the caravan to the west. It was involved with the demon they heard. They lost a lot of their guild members because of that and given no compensation for the loses. Before, they were quiet about it. Only thing they can show their grievances without mentioning the topic is to refuse. They look at them as if they were their enemies. Meanwhile the other adventurers don’t deserve it, have no way to say to them after the silence.
Altair approaches at the circle of conversation serving them drinks alongside with Illtended. Illtended spoke out
“Sheesh* Gordon, enjoy yourself and live up in the convention, will you? I’m bringing drinks here with the guys and you’re here taken my . . . Ok, ok, ok . . .”
Gordon nearly raises his magic at him as Illtended knows what he is about to do. Illtended is getting better after the experience with the Enders. His utilities expanded with new equipment on his hand. Altair backs away and pulled over by Silfa’s group.
“Hey! Stop pull me there. Ah!”
Ruby grips his shoulder “Oh, don’t be such a baby. We didn’t even see you since you’re with the Enders. So, why here of all places?”
“Anime”
“. . . You’re that easy to find when it comes to anime?”
“There’s no way that I have friends who are into anime. I joined since they offered”
“Then who invited you?”
Altair points out to the other side of the group. They forgot that Altair is one of the free agents, like Illtended. He got himself to join with other guilds because of high demands for dedicated healers. Thanks to crafting of strong potions, he was no longer needed during and after the lockdown.
The fuss got worse as Siren calls out their friends. “I think we shouldn’t be meeting like this. If you really want serious talks. Do it privately, my friends here need this event to be successful as we are no longer guild members. Goodbye”
Gordon can’t believe that the most innovative B ranks are leaving. Especially those four survivors, he can’t say much as the past need to be forget but relationship turns dark. The plan to use city sphere was meant to convince them a safety net to those who are not ready, and it seems they can’t let it go.
Andui says to Siren “Does he come here because of the siege?”
“It is obvious, and yes. But they already have help from Enders Bridge and Agatheus City. I am not that dumb that he wanted more to learn about their technologies”
“What do you mean?”
Reya answers “Remember what Haw said; Agatheans had something they want from our city. Even though the first defense was a failure, but the people from Stranding Island come and help. If you still don’t know, why not call him?”
Andui blushes and looks away “You know he was hospitalized. They told me he will take time to fully heal and . . . Iggy!”
Iggy takes her device and immediately calls Haw. Her device quickly answered and it was another man on the call
“Ladies, you will have him after his symptoms are gone. For the . . . how many it was? . . . 23, 29, oh yeah, the 30th times that he will be ok. Pardon my rash responds. This is new. Andui on the device. Click*: Andui cuts it off while they were confused who was that person is. Haw’s girlfriends are really missing him, and it is in the very important days of the convention. Andui knew in advance, and it was Miyusuki brought it up to her on social media. Updating about his trainer was replaced with the other guild member.
Ironically, Andui keep it private without them knowing that she follows him for Haw’s situation. Iggy apologizes
“I guess what you said were right. But how do you know?”
“I told you, I have contact with him earlier”
“But, the one I call say that you are a new contact with him”
Coral stops Iggy “Don’t push it, I would love to help you with the gossip but I have too much fun yesterday and today will be better”
Quail is with them without saying a word. Alongside with Siren as the two talks about being former adventurers.
“Really? Everyone gets to have their tragic past”
“Especially you Quail, why didn’t you tell us sooner?”
“If I said my last quest was in east coast. Will you listen?”
“I might have, and I might . . .” She pauses a bit as she sees someone familiar. A group of women passing by, wearing actual cosplay. No magic, not using the convention’s facilities, and the materials they are wearing is top notch.
“Sorry, I think I need to see someone. Excuse me! It’s been a long time, city girl”
Andui turns around and heard that quirky nickname “That name, is she really here?!”
Andui heard so much about her from Siren. A girl within Fuku City, who is trying her best to keep her community in check. Then that incident happened. They left and brought the people who were caught from the commotion, she is the one who is hurt the most. So much people she worked on, lost because someone took them. The children were the most affected as she was assigned to them. Such a story heard under the name ‘City girl’, Fuku City girl. Siren approaches to her and meet with other Enders to her side.
“It’s you! I can’t believe you’re back here”
“No way, are you the girl from the guild?”
“You don’t remember my name, It’s Siren”
“Oh yeah, that time I didn’t mention you, my name. It’s Tabitha and who are these people?”
“I say back to you with yours”
A big female gang all gathered together. Citizens and Enders, no boys in sight. Coral and Kiege look at each other with immense strong persona. Andui and Iggy greet themselves in high energy.
“Hello!”
And Juela is the only person answered them shyly “Oh hello”
This big group makes Yui very recognizable with her family. All female family members get together. She stays calm as if she is waiting for an opportunity to speak.
Quail stays observant and Reya can’t seem to find the word to say except watching Siren and Tabitha talk to each other. After a long chat to one another, both of them introduce their groups. Siren takes first
“. . . Ok, alright. I am Siren, and these are my friends; Andui, Coral, Reya, Iggy, and that’s Quail”
Siren’s group sees Tabitha’s group in cosplay. They didn’t even notice how stylish they wear. Tabitha tries to introduce them as they look like they are teasing her. More like the short girl is scheming or something.
Tabitha shows them her friends. “Ok, I am Tabitha. And you’re looking here is . . .”
Yui starts it up “. . . What you’re looking here is Tabitha’s best picks for us to wear”
Kiege grabs to Yui’s collar up like puppy. Her bragging is getting too much streaks for the past few days now. They look at her as if she is a child, even though she has a mature body for such a short woman. Meanwhile to Tabitha’s side can’t say anything about Yui, she is setting goal after goal harassing the people in the convention. She persuades too many people as it is, and now she is getting on with her friend’s friends too. Yui is too good at being social.
The awkward moment was over and Tabitha continues. “Sorry about that, ahem* Ok, these are my friends in Enders Bridge. First let me introduce you, Juela”
Juela comes forward and gives a smile and moves back.
“Yui” Yui drops on the floor with her two feet “Well, haha. This is awkward”
“And Kiege” She waves her hands as she kept that angry expression on Yui. Surprisingly from how they look, they cosplay as if they are in the mafia. Kiege was little off set when she carries a katana in an old western suit. Anyway, they look rather intimidating.
Siren isn’t going to waste time and bring them along. From across the distance, they watch many people going by. Silfa and her group are bit disappointed of why Gordon was there. This place they should be enjoying themselves not having business altogether, rather than adventurer’s business. They look at the panels and saw something erected from the upper floors. Fuku City adventurers, they even advertise here too. Out of their own minds to take a look at it. Illtended interrupts them
“It’s better to enjoy ourselves. You guys need it before the big day”
Silfa looks at each other as she forgets why she was here. A ring from her device and it was her younger sister.
“Hello, Sis. Sorry I was busy with . . .”
“Puma . . .”
Silfa hears the voice of her doll. A tempting voice confuses her, she doesn’t know what’s going on but she is sure that her sister makes something up with Puma. She replies to Illtended
“Fine, I’ll be going with my younger sister for the day. If you guys want to come along then introduce me something that we can have fun together . . .”
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Ruby and Gemina quickly says her goodbye and flashes away
“. . . By text” When she is about to finished, they both already gone.
Joanne puts a smile of her face when she and her friends can dress up their dolls. However, Puma is a big exception. It can transfer itself from body to body with its rituals. It will make it weak, but able enough to move around with it. The dolls it got in won’t let it say a word. The said expression on Joanne as she returns it back to its original body. Her friends react
“Wow, Joanne. Your sister’s doll can do so much being a little voodoo doll”
“You don’t know what it really can do. It has rituals that needed to able to cast spells”
They nervously refuse “Ah no, laugh. I have seen shamanism before and I don’t want to be scared again with their magic”
Puma, on its own getting the accessories to try to wear. Following Joanne to play dress up is really makes it more fun for them. Silfa shows up and saw her younger sister making Puma into a whacky looking thing.
“Ah? What are you doing to my doll?”
“Sis! Well, we were having fun and look at it. It has a face now”
The face they place starts to form rituals to it. Silfa knows a bit of the rituals when giving a face anything on its head. It will create havoc by having a face alone. Puma is a beast tamer Horde Chief. Barbaric and less civilized, she uses her UI to stop it from channeling its face.
It stops and the face cosmetics fell off. Her friends pointed out “Hey, it’s face fell off. Look Joanne, it’s face fell off”
“Oh no! It took us some time to get it done”
Silfa secretly in relief. She looks at them working so hard to get it to work, and she feels a little both guilty and terrified. Happiness is not worth it when it comes to shamanism
“Although, I have found something that my doll can interact with”
Silfa brought them where Puma able to contact with the other spirits. This spirit is more than just tribal. It is more playful and only can do one small things, drumming.
“Wow!” They look at it in awe to see another shamanistic doll. This one has no need for Kes’thar’s ritual. It is able to attract plentiful spirit, playfully going around it. Using toys as instrument with its toy hammer unleash the sounds of the drums. Alongside with modern music it plays so fine with anime girls’ songs. It feels like it was been practicing for so long. Joanne releases Puma and took the step-in front of the crowd. Anime figurines possessed and dance along the music. Its expressions move and the aura around them made it possible to look like light effects from any lighting concert.
While the guests taken in line buying the merch, it leaves a small gap for it to pass through. A jungle of legs coming through to this little doll. Its master saw it and let its idiotic adventure through the crowd.
“Sis, where’s Puma?”
“Where else? This is Puma we are talking about”
“Then that means . . .”
Joanne looks at the stage, the drummer doll stops like a statue. The music keeps playing but the figurines and the merch had stop. The crowd notice it. Then they saw Puma coming up to the stage. The guard didn’t notice it because of its stealthy moves.
The two meet and spoke
“Puma”
“Bum-ba-dum-bum-bum?” the drummer doll speaks to Puma respectfully.
“Puma” And Puma returns with kindness. They behave like cartoon characters flailing their arms and moving all about just to communicate each other. They are acting like one of those old cartoons making exaggerating expressions with their bodies. Moving into the flow, Puma handed over something out from its pocket, it doesn’t have one, and pulled out a big club and handed over to it. The drummer doll gives big happy surprised and hug the club like it is something special. The guard eventually pull Puma out from the stage and the drummer doll starts playing it as its new drum sticks.
Silfa pulled Puma out and into her hand “What were you doing over there?”
“Puma” It speaks confidently as its arms fold and looking up proudly. Joanne’s friends laugh from its expression. A strong drumming sounds from the stage. Bum! One club hit down and the sounds of the drum echoes. Shamanistic lights moving like smoke flowing through the figurines on stage. A wall of light moving like thread or cloth flowing around them. The figurine sprung out as visuals growing themselves in size. The light becomes water flowing more than they could ever imagine.
It may look like psychedelic, but the clear vision of the spirits had rhythm together with the club. The drums’ strong quakes. The spirits and the figurines are releasing auras it had and spread out to the crowd. The crowd were curious as they touched it. The light phases through and the movement of the light comes alive and returned back to the drummer doll. It creates multiple versions of itself visually. Playing together as a band in its ritual.
All together raising up in the air, slams it down to the toys as drums without a care. The walls of torrent. Lights as texture spring up and blocks the view of the crowd. The figurines fly up to the air as they transformed then fall to the floor. The drummer doll was trained to the best for its owner. The owner comes out from the counter and sees her spirit made it better from what she had trained it for. The figurines come alive with rituals nothing made by the goblins. The made-up designs turned as rituals letting her gaze to her creation with awe.
She watches the figurine she puts close to her drummer doll. The crazy routine it did to keep slamming on the toys and the figurines had bodies to their life size appearances. The thrill of the doll’s effort to keep drumming, while figurines playfully carry it up into the air and couldn’t make a drumming sound
“Dum-dadum-dadum Baboom!”
A ritual comes out with spirits going around it trying to get that club clubbing. The crowd starts laughing as it sees the persistent doll wants to play as the figurines trying to stop it.
More and more people going into her stall as she is smiling as she sees like the doll has friends getting teased at. But she knows her doll. The happy looks of its crazy drumming means that it is performing a tribal dance. She goes back to work. Silfa looks at Puma of what did it trying to do. Joanne and her friends look at Puma too. Puma is only there cheering the drummer doll to keep playing
“Puma! (X10)”
All while the figurines in its transformation made them into elemental goddesses. Colorful and mysterious in their forms. Remain active in their characters, it attracted the crowd with their rituals disguised as magic.
As the drums stopped, also too with the rituals. The figurines life size figures fade away leaving the drummer doll fall to the ground as the figurines returned to their simplistic plastic texture. Continue to dance as before, it knows it did something crazy, and the spirits were caught into the figurines’ body as its host. Looking human is not what the spirits want especially is drawn that way. This spirit wields the item from the Horde Chief, happily to do so, making fun to each other as they always did. The club fades away as the sign of the displeased spirits. It lies down on stage acting like it dies inside.
No one knows what happened. They never noticed except for Puma. Joanne points out “Hey Puma, can you give it another one?”
Puma acting as if it is scheming rubbing its hands and laughing as if it was meant to make a joke. Silfa reads the backlog from her UI “Laugh* I knew you guys are here. Why destroying the poor boy’z club? Do you want to look human with your prosperous rituals? Yeah, you better run good spirits. Embarrassing our good boyz with no live boyz in this large realm”
At first, she thought it was a joke. A matter of fact, there are no goblins inside the convention. Factually, there are Agatheans and also the dwarves. Obviously, the elves never stood inside the city. But the goblins, they are a lot of goblins doing business inside Mihayara district and the wide-open road along the highways. A secret message pass along between Silfa and Puma.
“Where are the goblins?”
“They are preparing to fight the demons for the future. Good spirits are freely goes to this city, while the bad spirits are ready to take down its old rivals. My boyz are ready, beside backstabbing, they are probably waiting for them”
Silfa shakes her head and continue on. Her younger sister’s friends were enjoying to see the little demonstration and have little key chains they bought after the performance. The owner is a middle-aged woman. She picks up the drummer doll behind her and feeling a bit happy to see how she caresses it. The trust in her eyes to her doll shows great joy. A secret message continues
“What’s made her trust her doll so much?”
“Good spirits are always like that. However, it is sign of a curse that someone is need to fill. It told me, she thought of it as her grandchild”
Silfa uses her magic to see the heart of the individuals. This is her unique ability, unnamed, and helps her being a leader to know the morale conditions interconnecting with everyone else. Joanne’s connection with her is strong and her friends are less. She grins, then she checks on the middle-aged woman. There were she was struck. Puma’s message was true. The bond between the spirt and her is family bonded. Where her empty heart is struggling to go home as it replaced by the drummer doll’s comfort. This loneliness is truly a pain for everyone. There are also other people are who are like her, alone in this strange world and want to go back home.
In reality, there also people wanted to stay here. It is hard to understand someone’s happiness. This convention is their prime example to fill the life they wanted to enjoy. Either its bad or good, she shakes her head that this is their reason to protect this city. She watches her younger sister and friends going to their next venue. She picks up Puma and hugs it dearly and whispered to it
“If something happens to her. Give it your all, Puma”
“Puma!” Determination in her eyes and the future to come. They will be the day that she will fail. Never once she had failed before, but remember the close calls she had so far. She is sure that she will make Puma stronger.
The attraction between spirits sparked his eyes with smile hiding in disguise in his costume. The Fuku City citizens are finally here to visit the convention. Fuku adventurers, the real people who hide themselves inside the district. Coming here with the rewards shared by their doubles, setting their feet with anticipation and marching to every panel they wished to go. There were few exceptions though. Magnet is here, using the identity of his dead doubles, not recorded to the death records and walks freely with his face mask.
Rumors have reached him that the Perb supposed to be here. The happy faces he passed through are the genuine people who need to forget from all the troubles they are putting themselves through. Meanwhile the people he knew have more depraved ideas where he is now. A private venue where the public can’t see. Magnet can’t see it, and only people who are in the most prestige guests will enter. There he sees the doubles, not defectors, walking in and disappearing without a trace. Because how big the realm is, no one is going to notice. He sees one of the gang leaders. The woman comes out bad mouthing at the guests inside.
“What the actual fuck was that inside? I knew rich people are not normal, but damn. I should’ve listened to the boss”
Her gang come out disappointed “Those bastards thought they are the boss now. Please, they got that ego because their human resources are from the wrong path. Shit! They lost their money and went isolated. Now business is booming, and now they are coming back at top. This is ridiculous”
“It feels like they are resuming back what they were back from being in . . .”
The gang leader shuts him “Don’t say anything specific. Just say home world”
“Shit, you’re right. So, what now?”
“We can still have fun here. There’s no other places made this convention worse”
Magnet eavesdrops enough, and let them be. The pain on his head clears up as someone shit talk to the bastards. He doesn’t know why the negative enforcement really makes him feel better. Or maybe because he deserved to hear that. He stops and sees many groups of people are having fun together. His miserable lonesome self is going through for his petty revenge. His fellow defectors can’t come because the originals are here. This moment doesn’t really make him calm down. Then he pulled over by a young boy.
“Mister, can you help me find my brother?”
Alone and scared, the boy comes to him because they both have the same loneliness. Magnet sees his scared face and sigh “Alright, let’s get you to your brother”
The kid’s wavering eyes hoping to find his older brother. The search keeps going until they reach to the information desk. The staff see Magnet presenting the young boy in front of them.
“Excuse me, I have a missing kid here. Would you mind help him?”
“Sure, this convention will provide anything we cannot give the worse possible experience”
The staff brings the boy up to the table and place the boy’s hand into the orb. As he touches it, he saw his older brother with his device tracking him.
One short moment as his older brother made it to the desk. “I told you not to go anywhere. It was too dangerous for you to wonder off”
“Brother!” The young boy runs to him. His older brother is cosplaying, but the safety measure shows that he is a guard in disguise. Magnet approaches to him
“What dangers are you looking for?”
“Nothing serious, the usual sexual harassments and other things. Although, the reason why I let my younger brother hide is because we spotted a fat dude. I don’t know why he is touching guys but we tried to stop him. He is very reflexive and out maneuvered us”
It’s him. Either it’s him or not, he has a clue. Magnet tries to hold himself back but his eyes can’t stay calm and acting all furious. The older brother sees something strange about his identity. The mask hides his face naturally, stronger than their safety measure, over all though, there is something in his UI that says can’t identify. A suspicion brought up to him, but his younger brother distracted him
“Are we going now?”
“Not yet, there is something I need to do”
“Pout*” The elementary kid is mad.
Magnet asks him again “Then would you mind join your search for him?”
The older brother thought something was odd about him, and now him wanting to help them to search for the suspect. The strange harasser only come after men, and it would be hard since no man feeling helpless and want to beat a shit out of them if they tried. Still, they have their duty. From the look of his expression, this is serious, if this is something dangerous the only thing he can do, is give him something
“Alright, but you need this ID. We will record you if you are going beyond the rule. So please, don’t try be a hero”
“Thanks”
Magnet wears it and the ID secretly being hacked. Magnet is not the only one want to get him. To hide his identity, they brought everything they had to put a stop from being discovered. His face mask is one of the powerful items, and more so inside his pockets. The older brother points out the location to where he was, then Magnet takes haste. Teleported away leaving no distraction by the crowd. He reappeared in front of the maze of surprises. A place where to get lost and discovered rare merch inside in cheap price. ‘Fight and Loot, take the runes to limit to safe brawling. Warning – adults only’
The Perb transformed into a more dazzling and muscle male body. Only wearing his boxers, because of the runes of this maze are limiting his powers. This is the best he could do. If he is unrealistically used the woman’s body, the stats he will be limiting to as an actual woman. Only with this body that is logical enough to allow his stats to go high. The fun to see people, mostly men, pass along and see him in his boxers. Creepily staring at them, and humorously chasing them just to win the fight in getting the loot. On his basket is filled noting but his interest and added a little kink as a cover to made them more uncomfortable when they see him.
That moment had soon lost as he feels something is not right. His senses know that something is after him. After the incident with the dust fiasco, he knew it will happen again. The dusts incident is no joke and his victims are getting stronger. Now someone is in the maze able to ignore the rules of this maze. He can’t identify him as if he was prepared to hunt him down. He begins to run through the maze as he pulls out a cheat on his own. A scroll given by Ironno as he can make a map in this area. It shows the information also the positions of everyone else.
There he sees the dot. The unknown man is going the right route to get him. The Perb tries to throw away the rune, but the rune sticks to him like a parasite. There is no time for him to waste. He had to run in this condition. On the map he sees, the pathing is to get out from this maze is impossible. The unknown man is gaining to him, passing through people without notice. While the Perb sees the people blocking his way are running away from him. The sounds of his device calling out warning spreading
“Hey comeback here, we both need brotherly bonding together. You can’t get away from the power of love”
Enough of the jokes. The Perb uses the emergency scroll and left the maze, leaving his precious goods behind. Magnet was too late, and could see the trace of magic left this place. He tries to reopen it, but the rune limited his powers to do so. His magic items were the ones that powered him. Giving him a bad expression that the Perb was able to escape, his mind is piling up with the memories back in the forest. The revenge he needed for what the Perb had done to them, especially others still feeling it in their asses.